A well-kept labour secret is that it is normal to experience pauses. These breaks can signal a shift that’s about to take place (maybe you’re moving from active labour to transition), they can happen because our situation changes (maybe you’ve left the familiar space of home and have arrived at the hospital), and they can either end on their own (just give it a little time)… or need us to take steps to help make that happen. And - always - we can treat these breaks as unwelcome interruptions or embrace them as part of the natural rhythm of things.
Life and nature also sometimes offer us pauses. So, here we are at The Gentle Journey, resuming our time together after what has been a definite (and definitely unexpected!) pause. It’s good to see you again.
Life has changed dramatically during our break. A global pandemic. A change to how we interact. How we work. How we play. And, for many of us, a change to how and when doulas find themselves able to support labouring clients.
What hasn’t changed, however, is the difference that a doula can make during pregnancy, labour and birth. In fact, doula support may now be more important than ever. In a world where ‘distancing’ is the norm, a doula’s support continues to provide the connection that makes a real difference in a woman’s birth experience.
So, I hope you’ll join me as we continue to discover the wonderful and often life-changing world of doulas, birth, labour and the perinatal journey in general.
Coming up next: discover the doula difference for partners and support people